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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27722159">Return From Titan</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty_pryde_bi_pride/pseuds/kitty_pryde_bi_pride'>kitty_pryde_bi_pride</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon Compliant, Found Family, Gen, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Space Adventures!, Survival, and they'll get some!, everyone needs a hug i guess, i promise :), sorry I'm bad at tags</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:21:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,099</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27722159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty_pryde_bi_pride/pseuds/kitty_pryde_bi_pride</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Not everyone makes it back at the same time, in the same way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mantis &amp; Peter Parker, Mantis &amp; Peter Quill, Peter Parker &amp; Peter Quill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>88</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Phoebe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>phoebe is the titaness of prophecy, moon, and brightness</p><p>idk some titan's are cooler than others and there's few good ones to start a fic and i liked how that theme fit for a first chapter *shrugs*</p><p>haven't written in a while so here's a shorter series to help me get back into the swing of writing regularly/remembering characters while i'm on school break</p><p>please enjoy!! i hope everyone is having a lovely day :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One does not spend eons with a Celestial and emerge untouched.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis is the first to manifest, weeks later than the rest of the dusted, and she falls to her knees on the desolate, still smoking ground.</p><p> </p><p>She reaches out for something to feel: there is nothing. The silence overwhelms, and she starts to scream.</p><p> </p><p>Her screams end long before anything new appears to take their place.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>The death of a parent does not excise themselves from their offspring.</p><p> </p><p>Peter Quill gave up the universe in his anger, and it almost doesn’t give him back for it.</p><p> </p><p>The dust finally throws him out after two months of clinging to his light-tinged blood – twelve days, three hours, twenty-six minutes after Mantis was freed, but she didn’t keep count – and he is remade quickly.</p><p> </p><p>He groaned when he was erased and he shakes as he stares as his rebuilt hands.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Oscorp’s spider bite was laced with more things than its host knows.</p><p> </p><p>Peter Parker arrives mere hours after Quill, reforming slower than everyone else, just as in pain as he left.</p><p> </p><p>He’s sobbing, pleading for his Aunt and Tony and Ned and MJ, but none of them can hear- anyone who could track his suit’s signal is busy, oblivious, or dead.</p><p> </p><p>Quill freezes in guilt when he sees him and Mantis joins his cries.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Tethys</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>tethys is the goddess of nourishment and freshwater rivers</p><p>and here's update number 2! please enjoy :) and have a fabulous day</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing to do is find a way to stay alive.</p><p> </p><p>To people like Peter or Mantis, who’ve had someone taking care of them their whole lives, this means searching for stored food, the sign of a past civilization who might’ve had resources tucked away or remnants of an agricultural system.</p><p> </p><p>Quill knows that survival is less about opportunities falling into your lap and more about making your own luck.</p><p> </p><p>He lets them search while he picks around what’s left of the kid’s suit – Peter gave him access, but not control – and the wreckage their ships left behind. Stark’s giant destroyer is scattered across the battlefield.</p><p> </p><p>He’s no tech whiz, not a genius like the three men who evidently grow up on Earth are, but Quill’s resourceful and has hot-wired more than one totaled ship in his day.</p><p> </p><p>The day is spent roaming the terrain, scavenging whatever he can find: a control board here, a gas tank there. It adds up quickly.</p><p> </p><p>Peter and Mantis return, empty-handed and exhausted, and Quill pulls off the form-fitting nanotech helmet with a flourish.</p><p> </p><p>The communications on the helmet are too far from any similar tech to ping, but their navigation system, life-support, and defense protocols are all still in place. The ships, on the other hand, have more than enough pieces intact to make it out of the solar system.</p><p> </p><p>Quill pats Peter on the back while the kid gives a weary smile, and Mantis pulls them both into a tight group hug.</p><p> </p><p>The three of them board quietly. Their stomachs are still empty, but they now have the start of a plan.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>as always, it means a lot of if you'd leave a kudos/comment below, let me know what you think &lt;3 have a good one!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Oceanus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>oceanus is the titan of oceans, water, and a river the Greeks believed encircled the world</p><p>ta da: the start of dialogue is here! chapter 3 lol</p><p>enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For three of the normally most sociable and talkative members of their teams, being silent for this long is strange.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes, though, they just don’t know what to say- do they start with small talk, or go straight into deeper conversation considering the circumstances? How can they get to know each other’s interests when they’re from such different places?</p><p> </p><p>Peter separates from Mantis and Quill – the ship is more than big enough that they don’t have to see each other for days, if they don’t want to – and finds his way to one of the giant windows. He doesn’t bother wearing his mask these days, tucking it away inside the suit instead. His identity doesn’t matter out here. It’s unclear how many days it’s been since he was brought back, but he hasn’t eaten- the barracks and kitchens are locked and they haven’t figured out how to get in yet.</p><p> </p><p>He’s not sure how much longer they have to go, but with his advanced metabolism, he doesn’t think he’ll make it much longer than another day.</p><p> </p><p>His chest shakes through rattled breaths as he gazes at the endless emptiness beyond the window: there’s a kind of beauty in the inevitable here, he thinks. He’s going to die, he’s almost certain, but the swirling mix of black space, purple light, and glowing stars is the best view to go out on.</p><p> </p><p>Peter’s almost fallen asleep where he sits, too tired to keep his eyes open, when something new comes into view.</p><p> </p><p>It’s the horizon of a planet, he thinks, and it’s the first glimmer of hope he’s felt since he got trapped on this same space ship.</p><p> </p><p>He scrambles to his feet, stumbling as he runs back to where the others are waiting aimlessly.</p><p> </p><p>“Q-Quill! Mantis!” he yells, panting, turning the corner. The two of them sit up quickly when they see his fast approach. He does his best to slow his approach and nearly careens into Quill, who grabs his shoulders to steady him. He looks up at them and grins. “I think we’ve found something.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hope y'all liked it, leave comments/kudos if you enjoyed and let me know what you think (if you have questions, feedback, etc.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Theia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>theia is the titaness of sight, shining beauty, silver and gold, shimmering things</p><p>so cool vibes!</p><p>hope y'all enjoy :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The planet they land on shines almost too brightly to look at.</p><p>It hurts to take in, but they’re so entranced that the three of them gaze through their ship’s giant windows as they approach, the glow filling the entire ship- everything is so flawless it highlights the battered ship, Peter’s half-formed suit and Quill’s ripped jacket, Mantis’s bruised arms.</p><p>There’s no time to linger: they’re swept up in gleaming gold building, sparkling silvery water, brilliant bronze streets. There are scattered gems everywhere they look, floating and scattered through rivers and roads alike, emeralds and sapphires and rubies ornamenting their architecture in a way that should be garish, but somehow makes perfect sense.</p><p>Their ship is getting steadily closer to touching down and they’re struck with a panicked sense of shame, of touching down on something so pristine and perfect. The streets are barren, no sign of anyone in the buildings, and it feels strangely wrong to disturb the peace. </p><p>The need for food and survival forces them to push past it all and they land on an empty pavilion, filled with lovely, lifelike statues made of shining steel- now that they’ve touched down, the group can see there are similarly made statues throughout the entire area. </p><p>The trees are made of diamond bark with emerald leaves and geode fruit, and they’re shocked at how perfectly crafted it all is. </p><p>Quill forcibly shakes himself from a stupor as they disembark from the ship and turns to the others. “Alright guys,” he begins, his voice booming out into the silence, “Now that we’re here, we’ve got to look for food, water, and people, in whichever order that comes. Got it?”</p><p>Mantis nods enthusiastically, but Peter’s slow to answer. “I don’t know, Mr. Quill,” he answers hesitantly. “Can’t we just- I don’t know, take a moment to rest? There’s nothing to hurt us here, and I think we’ve earned a break.”</p><p>“I do not think we should rest here,” Mantis interjects anxiously. “I sense an anxiety here.”</p><p>Quill snorts and gestures to the scenery. “I don’t think we could’ve landed on a safer planet, to be honest. We can’t wait forever, but I think the Spider-Kid’s earned a breather- how about Mantis and I split up to look for resources, and you can watch the ship and look around a bit?”</p><p>“That sounds great, thank you!” Peter exclaims, taking off immediately to investigate the slow-moving silver lakes. </p><p>Mantis stares at Quill with her wide eyes, unblinking. “I do not like this, Quill. I do not trust this place.”</p><p>Quill sighs and tosses her one of the many guns they’d picked up off the ship, then a pair of com devices. “Let’s stay calm until we find someone to talk to, alright? I just- I think we need to believe that this place can be good, at least until we know otherwise. We all could use a break.”</p><p>She takes a deep breath and nods nervously. “We will meet back up soon to discuss what we have found. We will keep each other updated on what we find?”</p><p>“Definitely,” Quill answers with a confident smile. “This planet is like, the gold standard of rest stops- nothing’s going to go wrong, don’t worry.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>dialogue is not always my strong suit so hopefully i did alright with everyone's voices !! haven't seen any of the movies in forever so i was a little nervous about it</p><p>let me know what you think !! comments and kudos mean a lot :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Mnemosyne</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>mnemosyne is the titaness of memory, and is said to have invented words and language</p><p>anyone else think mantis is cool? she seems like a ridiculously powerful empath, i kinda want to see her be terrifying in a movie</p><p>enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mantis rarely acts- she prefers to stay hidden, safely tucked beyond the fight; away from the risk. Acting has never worked out well for her: she fought against Ego and lost her home. She battles Thanos and she isn’t strong enough to calm the Mad Titan. The universe loses.</p><p> </p><p>Instead, all Mantis wants to do is feel: she understands and absorbs the anxieties of the people around her, the calmness of nature, the steadfastness of planets.</p><p> </p><p>The Guardians seemed to think that's all she could do. They looked at her sheltered upbringing with Ego, her wide eyes and innocent sincerity, and saw a simple, foolish empath. She wouldn’t contradict them- there’d never been a point to break down those first impressions, especially when it just would’ve led to danger for herself.</p><p> </p><p>But she’s so much stronger than any of them could imagine. Peter Quill never had the time to brush past the shallowest surfaces of his father’s power, and she endured centuries with him- he found her too useful to kill.</p><p> </p><p>In angrier, colder moments, she supposes it grew too tiresome for Ego to keep killing and indoctrinating so many of her kind. It must’ve seemed simpler to choose one well-trained empath to keep alive.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis managed to keep one secret during those years, something she thanks her predecessors for guarding: her species of empath grow stronger the more emotion they absorb. She lived with a Celestial for years and was powerful to keep him down against his will; was tough enough to put a Titan to rest mid-battle while he possessed multiple Infinity Stones. She’s become so strong she can reach through emotions into people’s minds, searching for similar feelings in their pasts, can even recreate snippets of memory if she focuses hard enough.</p><p> </p><p>Gamora was right to be wary of her.</p><p> </p><p>And now she’s moving through the galaxy on a ship with two enhanced humans that just landed on a planet that doesn’t feel like a planet.</p><p> </p><p>Planets carry the memories of their people, always. Ego was self-obsessed to the point of insanity and his planet felt lonely. Knowhere is a mining colony built on an old Titan’s head, and it feels a sense of smug pride that it’s legacy still lives on in the resourcefulness of its people. All Titan felt was regret for not being enough to protect it’s people, from both their own foolhardiness and Thanos’ judgment.</p><p> </p><p>This planet feels peaceful, but forcefully so. It’s cognizant enough to be pushing forth an image to draw them in, like bees to honey, and that in itself is terrifying.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis thinks the feelings underneath the mask are hungry and prideful, the flashes of memory showing an entirely different landscape, one not wreathed in precious metal and gems but beautiful nonetheless. It’s full of people, all laughing and blissful and utterly ignorant towards the predator lurking beneath their feet.</p><p> </p><p>She trusts her bad feeling, of course, but Quill doesn’t value her opinion and Peter’s already sucked into whatever unassuming energy the planet is giving off- she knows the poor kid is in such a poor frame of mind he was likely susceptible to whatever glimpse of safety this planet provided.</p><p> </p><p>Even so, they can’t leave without at least trying to find food and fuel, and she needs proof so her friends will listen.</p><p> </p><p>She closes her eyes and tries to push through the façade into the darkness lying beneath; into the hunger and terrified panic lurking throughout. This feeling of emptiness, the never-ending abyss beneath her feet is absolutely from the planet, but she doesn’t think it has ever felt fear- she doesn’t think it can.</p><p> </p><p>She follows it, lets it draw her blindly through the metal roads, and sees flashes of someone else walking- their face a pale gray, hair glowing pink, a cloak drawn around their shoulders. Their eyes are striking, a deep, mesmerizing green.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis opens her eyes abruptly to find herself face-to-face with those same eyes, covered in shining steel.</p><p> </p><p>She stumbles back, surprised, and sees that the person is entirely encased in steel, frozen with a silent grimace on their face. She looks around and sees that she’s back in the square where they landed, and the decorative statues suddenly seem to scream at her in panic, in fear, in warning.</p><p> </p><p>Everything that’s felt off about this planet since their arrival suddenly becomes terrifyingly clear.</p><p> </p><p>Hands fumbling in her pockets, she finally manages to pull out the comm from earlier and scrambles to turn it on. “Quill?” She gasps, voice high and thready. “Quill, we have a problem!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Coeus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>coeus is the titan of the north, resolve and intelligence</p><p>haha things are heating up! enjoy the longer chapter :) and have a lovely day</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quill doesn’t answer her calls and Mantis thinks she can hear her own heart beating- a steady rhythm, pounding faster and faster as she struggles to think through her next steps.</p><p> </p><p>The sense of pride she feels from below seems to grow- the planet is likely feeling confident about its chances of taking the three of them. Based on her current inability to communicate with Quill, it might be right.</p><p> </p><p>And she doesn’t know how to do this on her own. She’s done next to nothing since they all woke up; sitting restlessly for weeks alone, being unable to help find food or a way off Titan, ignoring the warning signs her friends weren’t doing well. She was the only one equipped to help while they struggled with their issues post-Titan, and yet she sat back and watched.</p><p> </p><p>What is she meant to do now, alone?</p><p> </p><p>But that kind of thinking will get her nowhere: right now, she’s the only member of their group who’s aware of the danger and therefore, has a chance at resisting it. There’s no time for her to panic.</p><p> </p><p>She has no idea where Quill ended up going, and Peter wandered off ages ago. She doesn’t have Quill’s experience with tracking things down or Peter’s exceptional instincts.</p><p> </p><p>What Mantis does have, however, is the strongest empathic potential she’s ever heard of- and she just spent weeks alone with the two of them. It’ll be difficult, but she can pull this off.</p><p> </p><p>She closes her eyes tights and remembers the feel of their emotions, the colors she’s come to associate with them.</p><p> </p><p>Quill’s far away: his unmistakable, glowing blue aura has been saturated in guilt, regret, and denial ever since their return. Currently layering that baseline is a sense of calm determination- something that assures Mantis she has time to find him, that he’s simply still looking for resources like they had planned.</p><p> </p><p>Peter, on the other hand, has a steady thread of blood-red fear – something Mantis knows is tied to his “spidey sense” – that’s slowly creeping into the previously dulled feelings of depression and hopelessness she’d sensed after they all woke up.</p><p> </p><p>She follows the source of his energy, letting it pull her in like a magnetic field, and is finally brought to the slow-moving silver river they saw earlier. The molten metal looks peaceful, but Mantis can feel what’s happening beneath the surface: the same cries of warning that echoed from the statues in the square emanate from under the water, with one all too familiar and urgent.</p><p> </p><p>She takes a moment to steady herself, dropping to all fours on the river bank, before thrusting one arm down into where she guesses Peter is buried. The thick, viscous liquid latches onto her limb, trying to pull her deeper, and Mantis groans against the pressure. Her knees and feet dig in deeper to the ground, her other hand clutching the smooth bronze of the ground, each limb scrabbling to find purchase on one of the rough gemstones poking through.</p><p> </p><p>It’s still not deep enough to reach Peter- and his aura is growing steadily fainter, his healing giving out, slowly fading out into the quiet anxiety of all the other fallen on this planet. She can’t let him drown in this.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis rips her arm out, jumps to her feet, takes one final deep breath, then dives in head first towards the faint red glow only she can see.</p><p> </p><p>Immediately, she feels the planet struggle to cement its grip on her, the silver slowing where she is, making it harder to move- but it can’t stop her altogether, and she keeps kicking until she connects with Peter’s arm.</p><p> </p><p>She grips it, tightly, then starts trying to swim back to the top. It only takes her a moment to realize she’s not nearly strong enough to get herself back through the heavy metal liquid, especially not carrying Peter.</p><p> </p><p>With his super-strength, he could get them out, no problem.</p><p> </p><p>Holding on tightly to him, she focuses all of her attention on the hint on consciousness still emanating from him- he’s filled to the brim with exhaustion, the need to give up trying. She lets out a broken sob, realizing how far his depression has grown under her own watch.</p><p> </p><p>She places her hands onto his head, digging her fingers into his scalp – he’s still neglecting to wear his helmet – until she feels him jerk in surprise, then whispers into his ear while her mouth and throat fill with silver: “Fight this, Peter. Don’t give up.”</p><p> </p><p>Her words barely make a sound, but the feelings of support and focus she infuses seems to scream- Peter startles to life, quickly realizes that he’s slowly being drowned, and starts swimming towards the surface. She keeps her hold on him and they breach the surface in less than a minute.</p><p> </p><p>He flings them over to the bank harshly, where they both fall to their knees, coughing piles of precious silver onto the previously pristine ground.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis crawls over to where he sways hazily, his super-healing likely the only thing that kept him from drowning, and grips his shoulder. Through a thick, raw throat, she croaks out, “O-okay?”</p><p> </p><p>He laughs brokenly, then leans into her hand, nodding slowly. “Okay. Thank you,” he manages slowly, drawing out the words to speak clearly. “What happened?”</p><p> </p><p>She grins at his enthusiasm- the energy she gave him and the emergence of a new threat seem to have helped renew his determination to fight. “Rest now,” she says sternly, looking at how he’s sprawled weakly across the ground. “Next, we help Quill.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Hyperion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hyperion is the titan of the east, lord of the sun, and represents watchfulness and stability</p><p>enjoy!! another mantis-focused chapter (at least a little)</p><p>and some Peter angst ... sorry!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They rest by the banks as long as can be justified before Quill’s emotions dull to a point where Mantis struggles to sense them.</p><p> </p><p>“Come now,” she says softly, pulling Peter to his feet. “There is more to do.”</p><p> </p><p>They walk together, quietly, letting Mantis feel out Quill’s location, until she decides to break the silence.</p><p> </p><p>“Peter, how did you fall in the water?” She asks, glancing over at him.</p><p> </p><p>He smiles weakly and rubs the back of his neck. “Ah, that. I was hoping you wouldn’t ask.” She frowns and he sighs. “It felt like it called to me…It wanted my help…And so I went to it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Willingly?” Her voice exudes calm, purposeful understanding.</p><p> </p><p>“Willingly,” Peter confirms, looking away. He kicks at a gemstone embedded in the ground to unearth it, releasing a spray of emerald and bronze dust. “I knew it wasn’t going to be good, that it was going to hurt me. But it seemed peaceful, if that makes sense?” He shakes his head in shame, then walks faster. “We don’t even know if anyone else came back. We don’t know why we turned to dust. We’ve been assuming going to Earth will get us those answers, but what if it doesn’t?”</p><p> </p><p>Mantis hesitates, then reaches over to grab his hand while they walk. Sometimes, there’s a difference between knowing what a person feels and why: a good empath would have never ignored his depression for this long. “I do not believe we are the only ones to return from…whatever happened.”</p><p> </p><p>He laughs, brokenly, and his hand tightens in hers. “Part of me hopes they didn’t come back. That Strange, Nebula…Tony,” he hesitates and his chest shudders. “If they didn’t come back, it means they couldn’t look for us. It gives us something to fight for, once we get back.”</p><p> </p><p>She thinks of Drax and looks down. “And if they did…”</p><p> </p><p>“If they did, why haven’t we heard anything?” He answers. His face is drawn tightly, betraying the turmoil underneath. “Why didn’t Tony come back for me?”</p><p> </p><p>She’s never known the love of a father, has barely experienced the love of a family, but she’s witnessed enough of it from others to know she feels it for Peter- after spending so much time with him and Quill, relying on solely each other for company, she's grown to consider them her closest friends.</p><p> </p><p>This knowledge of Peter allows her to answer with confidence. “If they were able to come for you, I know they would have. I do not know why we were stranded on Titan, but I cannot believe that your friends would have ever left you willingly.” She turns to face him and smiles widely. “We will make our way back there, and we will get those answers.”</p><p> </p><p>Tears fill his eyes, and he sniffs. “Mantis…”</p><p> </p><p>“Quiet,” she interrupts, spinning back around in the direction of Quill. “Something’s changing.”</p><p> </p><p>He shifts, immediately becoming on alert, easily shutting down what he'd been feeling in favor of helping her. “What’s wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>“He’s- He’s fading,” she whispers, taking a few quick steps in the direction. Peter lifts her quickly, throwing her over his back in a piggy-back and taking off sprinting towards Quill. “Hurry!” She cries, anxiously.</p><p> </p><p>With him now going full speed, they rush further and further from the ship and into the depths of the planet, until Peter spots a figure in the distance. In a terrifying moment, Mantis realizes that Quill’s energy hadn’t faded at all. Instead, it's begun merging with that of the planet’s, slowly turning the same prideful golden hue as the rest.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis can sense a burst of surprise as the planet notices them, then a rush of determination and anger at their continued approach. They hear loud, crashing sounds of metal on metal from behind, and see that during their frantic run towards Quill they’d missed an approaching hoard of the planet’s statues, faces twisted in anger.</p><p> </p><p>The sitting figure turns to them, gold creeping up it’s legs and hands from where they touch the ground. He opens his eyes, and they both stumble back to see molten gold there instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Are we too late?” Peter asks weakly, setting Mantis down before turning to face the steel statues coming in closer.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis steps towards Quill and reaches out to touch his forehead- he’s not entirely gone yet. “Fight these people off. Watch my back. I will handle Quill.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>let me know what you think !! comments and kudos mean a lot !! they're very appreciated</p><p>and let me know if you have any thoughts about what's coming next, when they make it back to earth/what's been happening back there!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Crius</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so crius is the titan of constellations and lord of the south</p><p>haha can you guess which titan is next?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quill’s mind is becoming like a maze, and he has no desire to find the way out.</p><p> </p><p>Why should he? It’s beautiful here.</p><p> </p><p>The walls are tall gray stone, covered in curling ivy and purple flowers, stretching up so high all he can see is a hint of the stars and moon above. They light the paths in a silvery light, letting him wander and appreciate every inch of it- he can’t remember the last time he had a moment to sit and rest like this.</p><p> </p><p>He can’t remember much at all, to be honest.</p><p> </p><p>Even inside the maze, he’s been walking for a while, and he’s starting to feel tired- there’s no harm in taking to moment to rest, of course. He looks down and sees grass, soft and inviting. He’ll just sit down, let himself go to sleep, and he’ll keep walking through the maze when he wakes.</p><p> </p><p>He’s just closed his eyes when the walls start to shake.</p><p> </p><p>“Quill!” Someone is shouting, but he can’t tell where it’s coming from. “Quill!”</p><p> </p><p>He frowns and lays back down, putting his hands over his ears tightly while his calm oasis turns to chaos- all he wanted to do was rest.</p><p> </p><p>“QUILL!” The screams continue, and he leaps to his feet.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know who that is!” He yells at the sky, fists clenched. “Please stop yelling at me.” His voice trails off and he buries his head in his hands. “Just leave me alone.”</p><p> </p><p>The walls shake harder and he’s starting to feel a thread of anxiety and love pushing into him out of nowhere- the two emotions don’t seem to match. “Quill, wake up. I know you are in there!” The voice tries again, softer but more forceful, and he falls against the wall, trembling.</p><p> </p><p>“Quill?” He hears someone new say, equally powerful but much closer. There are footsteps, almost inaudible against the soft grass, and he looks up to see the most beautiful woman he’s ever met. His mouth feels dry as she steps up next to him, leaning against the wall next to him and smiling softly. “I thought I’d find you here. What’s wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>“Who-” He starts, uncertain. Her green skin and dark hair are so different from anything he’s seen before – even if he can only really remember the maze – and yet some part of him, deep down, recognizes her. “Who are you?”</p><p> </p><p>She laughs and leans in close to him. “I leave for a minute and you forget me already? It’s me, Gamora.”</p><p> </p><p>“Gamora?” He asks tentatively. Something about her feels so right, but that same part of him that resonates with her is screaming at him to step back- her easy smile, familiar behavior, it all feels wrong somehow.</p><p> </p><p>The walls start to shake with renewed vigor, rumbling enough that he’s pushed away from them and his head starts to ache all over again. “Quill, listen to me! Whatever you see, that is not Gamora. Wake up!”</p><p> </p><p>He looks up towards the sky, but Gamora grabs his chin and pulls him back down to look at her. “Don’t worry about that,” she says softly, smiling once more. “It’s just storming. It’ll be over soon.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, I-” He starts, but her smile seems to grow wider.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you trust me, Quill?” She asks, slowly tugging him towards the ground. “Come, rest with me.”</p><p> </p><p>The walls haven’t stopped shaking, but he is so tired. Surely, he’ll have time to decide after he just rests.</p><p> </p><p>“Quill, you have to listen to me!” The voice screams again, somehow louder this time, and he just wishes it would stop. “QUILL! Gamora is dead, this is not real!”</p><p> </p><p>It feels like everything stops and he freezes. The woman by his side grabs him tightly, possessively, but he shakes her off angrily. “Gamora…is dead?” He whispers, voice breaking. She tugs at him again, urgently, but he ignores her. “Gamora’s dead.” He says again, with finality, and all his memories come rushing back so fast his head hurts. “Mantis, is that you?” He calls out, and the walls shake in affirmation.</p><p> </p><p>The woman grabs at him again, but her hand has turned to gold and her face is twisted angrily. “I told you to rest.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why do you want me here?” He snarls, pushing her off- how dare this planet search his mind, pillage his most precious memories, impersonate the dead love of his life?</p><p> </p><p>“We want your power,” the woman answers with a growl, throwing him into the wall. The maze seems to grab at him, pulling him in while the vines grab at his arms. “You are half-Celestial. Your power will help us immensely, once we fully absorb you. We will not let you leave here.”</p><p> </p><p>He pulls himself out of the wall, then gets fully to his feet, looming over her. “Damn straight, I’m half-Celestial. And know what that means?” He laughs and steps closer, glaring at her. “That means that you are not strong enough to keep me here.” She doesn’t look anything like Gamora anymore, and he steps towards her menacingly. “Die,” he intones, then throws her against the wall. It dents beneath her, and she falls to the ground, unmoving. He’s still for a moment, then looks back up to the sky. “Mantis?”</p><p> </p><p>“Quill,” she answers, and he sighs, relieved. “Quill, wake up!”</p><p> </p><p>He opens his eyes in a flash and Mantis is sitting in front of him, hand on his forehead. The previously flawless cityscape of shimmering silver and gleaming gold is destroyed, torn apart by Peter fighting off the steel statues.</p><p> </p><p>He yanks his hands free from the ground, the gold breaking off of him in flakes, and he stumbles slowly to his feet, leaning on Mantis. From the spot he was sitting, the gold slowly fakes from the planet itself, revealing deadened grass and decrepit buildings. Around Peter, the statues turn to zombie-like people, corpses littering the ground around them all.</p><p> </p><p>The earth beneath his feet turns to rot, and Mantis does her best to pull him away from it. <br/>“It-It’s dying,” Mantis says in horror, staring down at it.</p><p> </p><p>“We need to get out of here,” Quill calls out, moving her forward, and the two do their best to make their way through the path Peter has cleared for them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Iapetus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>iapetus is the titan known as the piercer, and is associated with craftmenship, mortality, and is the lord of the west</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ground is falling to pieces beneath his feet and his hands are covered in a mixture of rotting corpse, blood, and shards of steel embedded in his knuckles. It’s all Peter can do to keep pushing off the people who continue lunging after their group, obeying their last mandate from a dying planet, while Mantis and Quill stumble forward.</p><p> </p><p>Peter’s talk with Mantis helped, absolutely, at the time, but the bad feelings are setting back in and he still feels lost right now- maybe Tony was right, maybe he is too young to be out here, fighting like this.</p><p> </p><p>He’d never killed before today.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t even know the statues were real- hadn’t known the planet was alive at all. He’s not sure if it makes it better or worse that he hadn’t intentionally taken life.</p><p> </p><p>There’s bruising up and down his arms, and his lungs still ache from the strain of drowning. His legs are shaking with each step and he doesn’t want to keep throwing off these zombie people, but he doesn’t know another way to protect his friends- and he’s always been a fighter.</p><p> </p><p>Isn’t this what he wanted, to fight for someone’s life selflessly? Hadn’t he dreamed of killing that man who murdered his Uncle in front of him a million times? What makes the actual act so different?</p><p> </p><p>Does he even deserve to feel terrible when just hours before, on their walk to find Quill, he told Mantis he wishes there was something to fight for, just so he could have a direction? He throws off another body, the force of his blow tearing through its torso on impact, it crying out as it falls, and he doesn’t look at it.</p><p> </p><p>If he acknowledges their shared mortality, he doesn’t think he’ll be able to keep going.</p><p> </p><p>He keeps circling his friends, preventing any enemy from even getting close to them, and ignores the horror and revulsion coursing through his mind. He’s always believed that, given his power, he faces an obligation to help others- he must defend those who can’t defend themselves, must use his gifts for good. He can be a weapon if they need him to be.</p><p> </p><p>Isn’t hurting the enemy – even if he doesn’t know whether they were innocent or guilty, when he doesn’t know anything about them but suspects they were once victims of the same planet too – justified to save his friends?</p><p> </p><p>They make it to the ship and he ushers his friends in, making sure nothing follows them up the walkway and quickly closing it after. He runs to the controls and enters in random coordinates – anything to get them away from this planet – and they take off. He hits the button to remove his suit hard, and does his best to scrub off the remains of the bodies that had broken through. Mantis and Quill thank him profusely, before wandering off to rest and recover, and he tries to smile.</p><p> </p><p>What’s the point of a hero during a time of peace?</p><p> </p><p>The only thing is: he’s not sure how he’s going to look Aunt May and the rest of his friends in the eye when he makes it home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>as always, comments/kudos mean a lot so don't be shy!</p><p>any thoughts on which titans are left and how this is going to be resolved? i'm curious to hear thoughts i guess :)</p><p>please enjoy and have a fantastic day !!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Themis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>themis is the titaness of justice, fairness, and divine law</p><p>sorry for the wait, things have been crazy (and i'm an idiot who started new projects while this was still incomplete)</p><p>please enjoy and let me know what you think, or if you have any predictions for what's coming next!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Quill had a nickel for every time he had to quickly fly away from a dying planet that had just tried to consume him, he’d have ten cents- which, admittedly, is not a lot, but it’s weird it happened twice.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis sat him down right when they got back on the ship, pulling him aside into a lounge area to make sure he understood what happened on the planet; explaining how the planet captured and unmade him, how she brought him back, how Peter defended them both and fought off an army to get them out safely. Quill sees the exhaustion written across her face – she’s quite a bit more powerful than he thought, as battling the will of planets seems frequent habit – and he knows that spending months alone in space has taken a toll on all three of them. She warns him that Peter is doing much worse than either of them really thought, and Quill resolves to check on him.</p><p> </p><p>Once Mantis finally falls asleep, he lays a blanket he found in a storage closet to cover in, then leaves to look for Peter. Quill has gotten to know the planet intimately, for all its illusive deceptions, and he’s well aware that it was built on the energy of semi-living things. Peter may have been driven to defend them, but there’s no way he didn’t figure out that he was killing the planet’s former victims in the process- the kid is smarter than both Quill and Mantis, and is significantly younger.</p><p> </p><p>He finds him curled up in the control room where they left him, feebly watching the still-running navigation systems chart their path through space. They’re moving steadily towards Earth; there will be a good few weeks before they’ll arrive but everything suggests they will get there.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m surprised we have enough gas and supplies to get this far,” Quill breaks the silence, loud as always. Peter doesn’t react, but he’s well aware he didn’t sneak up on this kid. “Thought we were almost out. Wasn’t that the whole point of stopping?”</p><p> </p><p>Peter finally turns to him and smiles weakly- falsely, judging by the tightness of it and weariness in his eyes. “The planet’s blood seemed to be made of oil. Once we, uh, broke it open, all of that was just flowing through space. I was able to use the ship’s systems to collect most of it. As for supplies- I found a way into their food and weapons stores while you two were talking. At least we didn’t go there for nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>Quill knows he and Mantis had been away talking for a while, but the kid must’ve been really productive to make all that happen- though he supposes their initial weeks stranded on the ship gave him time to figure out the systems well enough to pull it off. He’d He glances over to the fortified doors and- yup, Peter straight up ripped through the wall to get to the food. He supposes that’s one way to deal with teenage angst.</p><p> </p><p>“Cool, thanks,” Quill responds enthusiastically, sprawling out in the chair next to Peter. “What are you working on now?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just thinking while we wait,” Peter answers, and it’s a little unfortunate how despondent the kid looks- if he starts pouting, Quill is tapping out.</p><p> </p><p>This kind of thing is really Mantis’s strength, but she needs to rest and Quill is a little certain that her comfort is too big picture for what the kid needs right now- being raised as a pet to a narcissistic megalomanic planet literally named Ego isn’t exactly relatable, and for all that she can literally empathize with whatever someone feels, she’s never killed. There’s a specific kind of conversation Peter needs to have, if Quill can figure out how to navigate it.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, if we’re just thinking,” Quill says casually, propping his feet up on the control board and ignoring Peter’s immediate annoyance, shoving his legs away from any important consoles, “Did I ever tell you about my daddy?”</p><p> </p><p>Peter grimaces viscerally and shakes his head. “I’m sorry sir, but I do not need or want to hear about your daddy, I cannot emphasize enough how much I never need to know about this-”</p><p> </p><p>Quill confused why the kid is freaking out so hard, but it’s the most animated he’s been outside of a fight since they all woke up on Titan, so he’ll count it as a success. “His name was Yondu-”</p><p> </p><p>“I beg you, please stop!”</p><p> </p><p>“-and he gave his life for mine, even though I thought he hated me. He raised me, you know? Saved my life as a kid and I never even knew till it was too late.” The kid stops protesting and Quill takes it as a signal to continue. “Do you want to know what he taught me?”</p><p> </p><p>Peter nods, slowly and apprehensively, no longer weirdly freaked out.</p><p> </p><p>Quill grabs the kid by the shoulder, leans forward, and speaks carefully; trying to make sure each word leaves the necessary impact. “He taught me that sometimes, morals fit the situation. When you’re fighting for something important – fighting for the people you care about, even – you have to go to extremes. You’re not less of a person for it, in the end. And if it hurts – and it will hurt, it should hurt – you know that you’re better than your enemy. ‘Cause I can promise you now, kid, that that planet did not care about hurting us.”</p><p> </p><p>Peter stares at a fixed point across the room, face stony, until he looks back over and Quill can finally see the tears in his eyes. “Do- do you think my Aunt May will be angry with me for killing? She never wanted me to fight, and I don’t know what to say when I see her again.”</p><p> </p><p>Oh, kid. “I think if she cares even an ounce as much as Mantis and I have started to, she’ll just be happy you made it back to her.” Now the tears start to fall and Quill himself is in serious danger of breaking down with him in this creepy room. “The controls will be still be here in a few hours, and it looks like you’ve plotted a good course. Want to come get some rest? I think all three of us could use it.”</p><p> </p><p>He guides Peter into the same lounge room where Mantis is still fast asleep, and sets the kid up on one of the puffy armchairs – strangely enough, Thanos’s army did not skimp on luxury – laying a fuzzy blanket over him. He falls asleep immediately, clearly exhausted. Quill grabs a blanket for himself and crashes on the one available couch.</p><p> </p><p>It’s not clear how soon they’ll make it home and there’s certainly still a lot to resolve once they make it there, but now they know they will. Quill feels safer sleeping in an open room than he has in a long time, content with the knowledge that his new teammates will back him up if anything happens.</p><p> </p><p>The three of them took on a planet and won. There’s not much in the universe that will stop them from completing their journey now.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Kronos</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>kronos is the titan of time as an all-devouring and destructive force</p><p>so a bit of a bummer :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They arrive back on Earth exactly 5 years, 7 months, and 14 days after the initial Snap. It took them over 5 months to make their way home. Peter has just turned 16.</p><p> </p><p>Peter has dreamt of this moment so many times over their travels – through surviving in alien landscapes, fighting off planets, battling countless forces out to destroy a Thanos ship – and when they land, he expects to have an emotional reunion with the Avengers.</p><p> </p><p>He’s just so, so excited to see Tony again; to see all his family, really, though he assumes Tony will be the first to greet him.</p><p> </p><p>Instead, the three of them are met by Falcon and the Winter Soldier, neither of whom ever met Quill or Mantis, nor were told Peter’s identity. They won’t listen, attacking immediately, until Peter pulls the Spider-Man suit from a recess of the ship as proof.</p><p> </p><p>The two of them get quiet, suddenly uncomfortable, and Peter feels a sinking feeling in his gut. A glance over to Mantis – it’s become easy to gauge each other’s reactions and moods with how long they’ve spent together – confirms that something is very wrong.</p><p> </p><p>They tell him that they fixed the Snap and most everyone was brought back, that they won the battle. Doctor Strange apparently went back to Titan every few days for weeks, checking for them, but eventually he just didn’t believe they would make it out- he had other responsibilities and gave up on them quickly.</p><p> </p><p>Peter asks why Falcon carries Cap’s shield, and the two exchange a somber look. It turns out the Avengers – nearly everyone Peter knew, almost everyone he trained and fought with – are gone.</p><p> </p><p>Captain America gave up his mantle to grow old peacefully. Black Widow sacrificed her life to retrieve the stones. Hawkeye dedicated himself to his returned family. Thor left Earth to travel through space with the Guardians. Hulk lost most of his fighting power using the Stones.</p><p> </p><p>And Iron Man died to save the world, leaving behind a wife, daughter, and Peter.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis puts her hands on his shoulders in worry, a silent support, and Quill wraps his arms around both of them, to hold them steady. Peter’s shaking, but he tells them to finish their explanation- he needs to know.</p><p> </p><p>Scarlet Widow and Vision are off on an adventure of their own, unreachable. Ant-Man and the Wasp are working more closely with the Avengers, official heroes but still anonymous. A friend of Thor’s named Valkyrie is creating a new age of Asgardians on Earth. Doctor Strange acts independently as Sorcerer Supreme, but helps out the Avengers when necessary. Someone called Captain Marvel is off fighting threats throughout the galaxy alone, but remains in contact with the heroes. Steve and Bucky are coordinating everything and helping train a new generation of heroes.</p><p> </p><p>Everything is in the process of moving on after a disaster, of fixing itself to repair the world, and Peter can’t help but feel like a remnant of something long outdated- he’s grown in the month’s he was gone, but so has Earth.</p><p> </p><p>Time has worked against him, and there’s no way to go back.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis and Quill have lost things too- there’s been no contact with the Guardians since they left, and the Gamora with them is not the one they lost to Thanos. They agree to stay with Peter while he attempts to settle back into his life, while they themselves struggle to figure out what comes next.</p><p> </p><p>He goes home to New York and his Aunt, but he can’t ever seem to focus on school- it’s not the priority it once was, considering how much he’s been through in the past few months. He fought nonstop to protect his friends, and he can’t make himself seem normal anymore. His school friends are all ahead of him, having not lost out on nearly a year of education, so he doesn’t even see Ned often anymore. His Aunt doesn’t have the time to accommodate his problems- she’s still working, full-time, and is seeing Happy on top of it. She wasn’t lost to the Snap and has had almost six years to get used to his absence. It’s clear she missed him, but she mourned him long ago.</p><p> </p><p>Almost worst of all, he’s told that he cannot resume as Spider-Man. New York assumed he died when he didn’t return with the rest of those Snapped, and a simultaneous return is too suspect. They take his suit and he’s asked to retire the mantle, to keep his distance from the rest of the heroes.</p><p> </p><p>Peter goes to visit Pepper and Morgan, and leaves feeling empty- even Tony wasn’t the man he remembered. He just missed so much, and never even got to say goodbye.</p><p> </p><p>He puts together a hoodie and sweatpants uniform to go and seek out some of New York’s local heroes – Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist – but he runs into the Winter Soldier first. He’s walked home like a child, and the exhausted look on May’s face as he’s dragged inside cuts deep.</p><p> </p><p>Peter just feels like a burden here.</p><p> </p><p>He goes to Avengers compound – where Mantis and Quill have been forced to stay and given limited contact with him – and together they take back their spaceship. They go to New Asgard to get an audience with Valkyrie, and she tells them she’s had contact with Thor.</p><p> </p><p>She knows where the Guardians are.</p><p> </p><p>Peter never thought anything would be more important than getting back home, but Earth doesn’t feel like home anymore. He’s grown closer to Mantis and Quill than he is with his old friends, and he’s not needed here- Ned and MJ moved on, May can’t support him like she used to, and New York doesn’t need a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man anymore.</p><p> </p><p>During their time away, he knows that they all grew. Mantis is stronger now and can’t stay cooped up in a cage. Quill doesn’t want to operate as a lone wolf any longer. Peter himself isn’t content to stay in one spot, needs to keep moving and traveling.</p><p> </p><p>Peter leaves letters to his most important people, and destroys his last ties to Earth.</p><p> </p><p>He can’t stay on a planet where all he can think about is the past. It’s time to stop fighting for the unattainable, and to move on.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>let me know if you have any ideas as to how this will get resolved or which titan is left !!</p><p>and though their reunion with earth was a bummer hopefully it made sense- they've all changed way too much, and they have to move on, even though its hard</p><p>have a great day!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Rhea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>rhea is the titaness of fruitfulness, fertility, motherhood, comfort</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They reunite with the Guardians, and begin a new process of healing. Things are different but they are too, and there’s a chance to make a newer, better team.</p><p> </p><p>Mantis is stronger, more assured of her own strength. She will not tolerate being treated as weak or lesser. Drax mocks her appearance the first day they’re back and she tells him that it’s true, she likes him, but she will not be treated like an insect any longer. To everyone’s surprise, Drax listens. Gamora and Nebula admire her all the more for it, and start training her to actually fight.</p><p> </p><p>Quill has learned to be secure in what he brings to the team, and stands up for himself against Thor to remain leader. With the ship watching, Thor cedes control. Quill works closely with Rocket to develop the ship’s technology and weaponry, developing a better understanding and appreciation of one another’s skills. Things with Gamora aren’t the same, but he’s unwilling to rush and assume anything- he can tell Nebula already explained a version of them were together. Gamora keeps her distance, but Nebula finally seems willing to become friends of a sort.</p><p> </p><p>Peter has finally developed the level of skill necessary to keep up with a crew of heroes this strong, and they learn to love him quickly. Rocket takes the addition of another genius in stride and seems inclined to help mentor him, introducing him to a whole new range of weaponry. Groot just seems excited to have another kid aboard the ship. Thor is overjoyed to reunite with another Earth hero and they come to one another when they need to remember what they’ve left behind. Nebula acknowledges his untrained potential and forces him to join her, Gamora, and Mantis for combat training.</p><p> </p><p>The three of them stay close- they became a family of their own while lost in space and that’s not easily lost. Some nights, it’s all they can do to huddle together and remember those endless nights in bleak space, that day trapped on a perfect planet trying to destroy them, not sure if they’d ever make it out- they don’t dwell on it, though. They’ve lost months trying to regain the past and waiting for the future; but now they’re able to find a family in the present.</p><p> </p><p>They receive notice of a powerful, panicked being appearing seemingly out of nowhere, with a proclivity towards trickery and latent ice powers, and the team changes course for it. Each and every Guardian knows the value of second chances, and the hurt that comes from being left behind.</p><p> </p><p>They won’t let it happen to anyone else.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>last update!! hopefully this leaves things on a satisfactory note- i could not figure out how to wrap this up in a way i liked, so this was my best</p><p>they joined the guardians !! super hype team-up, in my opinion :)</p><p>and maybe potential of getting a new member ??? lol space adventures are amazing and gamora, quill, rocket, groot, thor, peter, mantis, drax, AND loki is an awesome (and over-powered) team</p><p>i hope everyone enjoyed this !!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>feel free to leave comments and kudos below!! they mean the world and help me a ton </p><p>here's my tumblr: kittypryde-bipride</p><p>stay fancy!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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